Naga, Korra's polar bear dog, is sleeping peacefully despite Pabu's repeated attacks on her tail. Only the call of an old friend can get her up from her nap. Once she realizes Korra has come back to her, she's all excitement, meeting Pepper the sky bison as Korra jumps down and the two get a long-awaited bear dog hug. She's got a lot more greeters than Naga, as Bumi is first to find her, Bumju on his shoulder. Bumi is sporting the new air bender uniform, hinting that he's seen some action, and he looks fit and trim. Tenzin and Pema follow, with the kids getting to them first.
Miss me?
Meelo immediately hints that finding Korra should earn him his air bending master tattoos, but Tenzin's not convinced, leaving Pema to comfort the boy. Tenzin, to Bumi's disapproval, immediately asks to know what happened in Zao Fu. Opal, just getting off Pepper, has to update Tenzin. She tells him how the city has been occupied and her family taken prisoner. She tells him that no one now knows where Bolin is, but he was last seen still working for Kuvira.
No, Bolin's got a new boss
Bolin's not so much worried about Opal's opinion of him right at this second. He's got another burden, literally. Varrick has insisted on riding piggy back. And Bolin is the piggy. They are both dirty, disheveled, and tired. Well, Varrick says he's tired. He also points out that Zhu Li has carried him much farther distances on her back, with sprained ankles. He forgets to point out it was uphill both ways, but Bolin's heard enough, anyway. Dropping Varrick into the dirt, he tells Varrick that Zhu Li isn't here to baby him, and Varrick just can't stand the thought of getting up after hearing that.
Bolin freaks out that Kuvira will be able to develop her new spirit energy super weapon if they don't get to Republic City and warn other world leaders. He reminds Varrick that Kuvira's progress to date on her empire and super weapon are their fault, and they need to make up for that by getting what they know to Republic City. It's so inspirational, that Varrick can raise his head, take Bolin's hand, and congratulate Bolin. Varrick is so moved, he offers to be Bolin's piggy for a change. Bolin, despite the obvious time it will lose them, hops right on. Varrick is really a poor choice for carrying Bolin, as his first step takes forever. And they will definitely lose time once the trap Varrick steps right into launches them both into a rope net suspended into the tree branches. Bolin can only vent his frustration to the trees.
If only Bolin was already back in Republic City, he'd be able to meet Korra, Asami, and Mako for lunch. The ladies are thrilled to see each other, and Mako greets Korra without any of the awkwardness of last season. And Wu is absolutely thrilled to meet the Avatar, introduce himself as the rightful ruler of the Earth Kingdom, and tell her all about himself. Wu is not the fourth either of the ladies had in mind, and Mako gripes that Wu won't be babysat by anyone else.
Nice to see you, who's the creep?
Wu instantly makes himself the creep by leaning into Korra and wanting her to show him the Avatar State. Korra is weirded out and refuses. But, it's only the start of the awkwardness as Asami asks Korra if she's still unable to reach the Avatar State. This is news to Mako, and Korra has to inform him that she wrote to Asami, but neither him nor Bolin. Mako is insulted, wanting to know why Korra couldn't at least say "Hi" to him or Bolin. Korra confesses that she meant to write, but was embarrassed that she couldn't make a full recovery. Asami tries to tell Korra that she's begun seeing her father again, with maybe the chance to have a relationship with him. Korra is instantly suspicious, and Asami points out that she's been lonely without her best friends. Why does Korra get to judge who she's turned to for some companionship?
Wu is bored by hearing of other people's troubles, which is a sign that he'll make a really good king. Instead of catching up with his old friend, Wu wants Mako to accompany him to the bathroom. Because going in groups isn't just for girls. Mako chooses this time to refuse to accompany the Royal Bladder, and tells Wu he'll be fine. Which Wu isn't. You know this will go badly when the washroom attendant covers his own face before spritzing Wu with knockout gas. Wu weakly calls for Mako before going down.
Gaaaack! Chemical warfare!
Bolin wishes Pabu were with them, as the little fire ferret was able to chew its way through anything. Varrick lovingly recalls Zhu Li's incisors. They have no time for self-pity, as they are soon confronted by the trap layers, a group of about eight, wearing old uniforms from somewhere. They're pleased to have caught a couple of low-level Earth Soldiers. But Varrick can't take the implication- he has to go and inform them that they were members of Kuvira's inner circle. Bolin stresses the "were" part, asking for help in defecting from Kuvira. The hunting gang isn't sure, but the fire bender decides he'll give them a nice fall from the trap.
Wu's octopus platter arrives, but he's still not back from his Royal Bladder time, so Mako decides to check on him. Korra and Asami decide to also help, and Korra spots some employees pushing a laundry cart around. Korra decides to ask one if he's seen Wu, when Wu's little, giddy, head pops out of the laundry bundles, collapsing again. Korra instantly acts, but the earth bender-kidnapper is faster, and Korra is propelled into the structure above her while the laundry truck careens away. Asami and Mako are beside her instantly, and she calls for them to get Asami's car and find her as she starts after the truck.
Korra keeps the truck in her sight until Asami and Mako can catch up to her, with Mako furious that the one time Wu just had to pee by himself.... But they've got other problems. The laundry truck takes a turn, and the street and rock under are bent to become a wall Asami can't drive through. It's up to Asami to find a way to cut them off, which she does, using her knowledge of the streets and bypasses she's built over the last three years. She catches up to the truck, and Korra lifts herself up from the car and down to the truck, despite Mako demanding she stay in the car.
But Korra's already too late, as Wu has been transferred from the laundry truck to something else. By the time Asami and Mako catch up, and the lone driver/kidnapper has been forced from the truck, he's got no information except that Wu is halfway to Kuvira now. Mako can't believe how easily Wu slipped from his protection. He and Asami try to debate how Kuvira could be getting Wu out of Republic City, but there are so many ways, Mako doesn't know what to do. So, when Korra tells them Wu is at the train station, he hasn't noticed that she found out by consulting the spirit vine nearby. Just as Toph consulted the Banyon Grove Tree of the Great Swamp for information all over the world. Asami and Mako, though confused, follow her lead and drive off for Asami's train station. Looks like Wu will finally be put on a train and sent far, far, away.
Bolin and Varrick are, at least, no longer hanging, but their hands have been tied and they're officially prisoners of some former prisoners, led by a fire bender named Baraz. Noticing that they're all water and fire benders, Bolin asks what they were doing in one of Kuvira's re-education camps. Baraz's second in command, Ahnah, calls the camps what they really are: prisons. And, not just for dissenters. Kuvira's engaged in some ethnic cleansing behind Bolin's back. She's been sending people whose ancestors are from other nations to her prisons, too. Baraz and Ahnah demand that Bolin and Varrick act as fake soldiers to talk their way through a checkpoint barring their escape from Kuvira. Bolin and Varrick point out that they're fugitives, and if discovered, will be re-captured, too.
When Baraz loses his patience with Bolin, they launch into attacking each other. Bolin holds back a little, only wanting to bend enough lava to keep their new captors from himself and Varrick. Bolin frees himself from his ropes while trying to explain to Baraz that maybe they can work together to all be free. Baraz isn't so sure, but he and Ahnah accept, anyway, and Bolin calls off the lava. Baraz tells Bolin that the checkpoint is their only hope, as it is the only way through Kuvira's massive wall at the sea. So, Bolin makes a deal to accompany them to the checkpoint, and help get everyone through.
Don't worry, I only look like an idiot
Korra, on the way to the train station, quickly fills her friends in on her adventures in the swamp, and how she learned how to use spirit vines to find others through their own spirit energies. Mako and Asami are even more amazed when Korra tells them she learned from Toph Beifong, with her friends wanting to know what the old legend is like. Mako refuses to believe she's even crankier than Lin. Korra assures him that it's definitely possible to be crankier than Lin. She's seen proof. They arrive at the train station, with Asami getting her shock glove on in anticipation of old times. With numerous trains to check, they decide to split up.
Easy checkpoint to get through, right?
The checkpoint leading from Kuvira to freedom is, indeed, as troubling as promised. Bolin and Varrick, still in their uniforms but showing signs of the awful walk they've had, and the former prisoners re-tied, approach slowly. Bolin claims that he's "transferring" the formerly escaped prisoners at Kuvira's orders, but the guard in charge points out that the camp they've escaped from is back the other way, and he'd need to see a written order anyway. So, Varrick gets a turn at the guy. Varrick doesn't waste a single chance to relentlessly hustle their story, claiming that they've battled badger moles, and hawk bats and something else, and Kuvira's orders disappeared into the mouth of something trying to eat him. So, he can either trust his fellow soldiers, or Kuvira will deal with him. After hearing Varrick's tale of woe and about blisters the size and juiciness of cantaloupes, the guard orders the gate opened. For extra security, it can only be opened by metal benders, making an assault on them useless.
Bolin, Varrick, Baraz, Ahnah and the other start the long trudge through the checkpoint, but Bolin and Varrick aren't really presumed dead. As they feared, Kuvira is still looking for them, and a guard working the station spots them from wanted posters. Kuvira's battle armor soldiers in mecha tanks quickly bar their way. Soldiers behind surround them. The game is up. They'll have to fight their way away from Kuvira.
Baraz is first, declaring he's never going back to prison. He quickly torches through his ropes, and instantly hurls fire at his would-be captors. But they're earth benders, and rock barriers are quickly up for them to use as cover. The mecha tanks attempt to spread lighting and their own fire, with Bolin shields himself and Varrick against behind a rock barrier of their own. Varrick, scared, crawls back toward the gate. With the soldiers busy against Baraz and the other prisoners, he's unnoticed.
Bolin has the mecha tanks' attention. He hurls boulders at them, but they easily punch through. So, Bolin builds up a pool of lava. But the mecha tanks can jump over it. Frustrated, Bolin can only dodge their lighting and fire attacks and hide temporarily behind makeshift rock barriers. The other benders, are barely holding their own too. Baraz holds off a mecha tanks' fire with his own; Ahnah almost gets one to slide to it's doom on ice, but Kuvira's designed them to dig into ice and hold their own.
Varrick arrives at the checkpoint station, peering inside to see if it's safe. Instead, he sees the generator. And he gets a great idea that involves wire, a screwdriver, and a table leg. He uses the wire, wrapped around the metal table leg, as a ground, and sticks it into the dirt at the checkpoint, where the soldiers can't notice that he's behind them. He then retreats back into the office, where he's connected the wire to the generator. He flips the generator on, and the whole assembly sends a huge bolt of power through the ground, basically acting as an electromagnetic pulse. The mecha tanks immediately fall to the ground, useless.
I'm assuming that the hatches can only open electronically, because the occupants don't come out trying to fight Bolin, and the pressure is off him. Varrick congratulates himself for still having the Varrick Touch. Although, couldn't it have been the Varry Effect? Which, let's face it, really just means that anything can happen when Varrick's around. Varrick is out from behind the soldiers and running past Bolin before he can even figure out what happened. Bolin doesn't run right behind him, but instead sees that they're new allies need his help. He launches himself from behind his rocks, and calls forth enough lava to send the soldiers running back to the checkpoint. Which will no longer be all that closed, not since Bolin ruins it with lava thrown at the gate itself. It will be damaged and open for a while.
A little lava here, a little lava there....
Baraz, Ahnah, and the other former prisoners are impressed. Besides bending lava, Bolin came back for them. Bolin tells them that he owed them that, and says now it's time for them all to get out of there.
Korra takes a chance at the train station, contacting the platform surface with her hand, and she gets a feeling that Wu is on a particular train. Mako can't believe they're all following a feeling, but we know she's right the second we see two sneaky-looking passengers glance at each other as Team Korra moves through the train. As they proceed into a luggage car, Korra points out that Mako's one lapse in guarding Wu made their whole adventure possible. Before Mako can try to defend himself, Asami hears banging from inside a trunk and Wu is quickly freed. He's convinced he's actually dead, and Mako is the first face he's seeing in heaven, but Mako quickly yanks him from the trunk as more kidnapper conspirators surround the luggage car. With no way out on the train, Korra quickly deflects the metal bands Kuvira's kidnappers hurl, and opens up the top of the metal car.
Worst damsel in distress ever
Wu refuses to climb out, and Korra gives him one fed-up look before flinging him up with air bending. She and the others quickly follow, jumping cars to supposedly get to another, safer, car. But Kuvira's kidnappers are also on top of the train soon, and on both sides. Asami gets one with her shock glove, and Mako fire bends, getting them some distance. The kidnappers metal bend the top of the metal car to curl upwards on both ends, seeming to trap them. But, it's a mistake, since now they can't see Team Avatar. And can only get to them from above.
Trains suck... let's blow!
Korra acts, bundling them all in an air bubble, and then taking them off the train as it passes over a bridge. They bounce off a bridge pier, but land otherwise unharmed. Wu is at first exceedingly grateful to Mako. But, it doesn't take long for Korra to have his gratitude instead, and he says taking her on a night on the town is the only way to thank her. Korra says no. Wu calls it a "maybe". Korra calls it a "never". Wu thinks it's still a "maybe".
Asami, Korra, and Mako regroup to have a little laugh at how quick their old times have returned. Including the way they don't always get along. It's not long until it turns into a group hug. It's also not long before Wu wants into said hug. It's Korra who anticipates and holds Wu at arm's length. Regardless, Wu still thinks he's on Team Korra, calling them all his best friend. Does Korra, maybe, understand how Kuvira can have dedicated followers by now?
No hug for you!
Mako thinks Republic City is no longer safe for Wu, and Wu demands his safe house be cushy. When Mako takes them all to a magnificent, luxurious estate, Wu is impressed, thinking it's Mako who's rich. Mako, looking slightly embarrassed, has to inform Wu that he's still poor, but Asami was kind enough to let his family use the Sato Estate. That way, we know it's Grandma Yin opening the door. She sees Mako first, but when she sees His Royal Highness, Prince Wu, great nephew of her beloved Queen Hou Ting, she is instantly amazed. And when her beloved Prince kneels to her and kisses her hand, calling her Grandma Mako, she has no strength left and Mako catches her when she faints. Mako informs Wu that his grandmother loves royalty. Wu is just relieved to be somewhere with a bathroom, instantly crashing into his new safe house.
Kuvira's former prisoners all make it to the sea, where they've somehow found or taken a small boat. It looks rickety, but Baraz and Ahnah will take it for their friends. Amid a glorious sunset showing how the group is mellow and happy and free, Bolin is sorry that they've been imprisoned, but they don't blame Bolin for his boss's actions. Instead, they tell Bolin that they're heading north, and can help Bolin and Varrick get to Republic City. Bolin is happy to accept help, but Varrick is sure he'll die in the rickety boat, until Bolin swats him and he tumbles on board. Off they go, new friends and all!
It's not the Love Boat, but what is?
Kuvira's been busy. Apparently, she and Bataar have finally decided to explore the Great Swamp, where the Banyon Grove Tree promises to supply them with infinite spirit vines even more powerful than the ones in Republic City. Kuvira orders her mecha tank soldiers to work, and they whip out their chainsaws, eager to cut down Toph's most prized place. Now, she'll have to get involved.
Yeah, what the tree said
Seriously, Kuvira keeps going down the road of tampering with spirit vines. Does she really think they spirits won't defend their own? Or, does she hope to have her super weapon ready for them when they come? And, will Toph have a way to defeat her? Oh, to watch Toph and the Great Uniter battle it out! Let's hope that's in store.
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